Shelemiah and Nathan and Adaiah - Ezra 10:39

In the book of Ezra, Ezra began to name the male offspring of the children of Israel who put away their strange wives by listing, “the sons of Immer; Harim and Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah; Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer; Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Moreover of Israel: of the sons of Parosh; and of the sons of Elam; and of the sons of Zattu; of the sons also of Bebai; the sons of Bani; the sons of Pahathmoab; the sons of Harim; the sons of Hashum” and “the sons of Bani”, and in chapter ten and verse thirty eight of Ezra, Ezra added “Shelemiah and Nathan, and Adaiah”, where we read,

And Shelemiah and Nathan, and Adaiah

The verse reads, “And Shelemiah and Nathan, and Adaiah”. Ezra began with the words, “and Shelemiah” whose name means “repaid by Jehovah” “and Nathan” which means “and Nathan whose name means giver”, “and Adaiah” whose name means “Jehovah has adorned Himself”. Ezra shared how the men of Israel whose names mean, “repaid by Jehovah, giver and Jehovah has adorned Himself” were among the men who intermarried with foreign women and put them away after being directed to do so by him. 

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn through Ezra how “Shelemiah, Nathan and Adaiah” were also in the midst of the men of Israel who intermarried with pagan foreign women. These men understood their wrong direction, and turned away from their wives when told by Ezra to do so. God wants all of us to turn away from our sinful acts and to receive His Son Jesus who came into the world to die on the cross for all mankind. When we receive Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put within us a passion to follow Him and His ways throughout all eternity. 

Next time Ezra includes, “Machnadebai, Shashai and Sharai”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".